Hydrangea plant named ‘HP220902’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘HP220902’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded to conical plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems; freely and uniformly flowering habit; large inflorescences with numerous yellow green-colored sterile flowers that become purplish red in color in the autumn; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HP220902’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS & STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant, Hydrangea Breeders Association B.V. of De Kwakel, The Netherlands, on Dec. 15, 2021, application number 2021/3312. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor or Applicant. Inventor and Applicant claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, commercially referred to as a panicle Hydrangea and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HP220902’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and Lengerich, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely-branching Hydrangea plants with strong and sturdy stems, large inflorescences with numerous showy sterile flowers, attractive sterile flower color and good garden performance.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the spring of 2014 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangea paniculata identified as code number 11-0007, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lengerich, Germany during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the spring of 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HP220902’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HP220902’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading         and rounded to conical plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems.     -   4. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.     -   5. Large inflorescences with numerous yellow green-colored         sterile flowers that become purplish red in color in the autumn.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flowering habit as plants of the new Hydrangea have denser inflorescences with more flowers per inflorescence than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,874. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Limelight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are narrower than plants of         ‘Limelight’.     -   2. Sterile flowers of inflorescences of plants of the new         Hydrangea are lighter yellow green in color than sterile flowers         of inflorescences of plants of ‘Limelight’.     -   3. Sterile flowers of inflorescences of plants of the new         Hydrangea become purplish red in color in the autumn whereas         sterile flowers of inflorescences of plants of ‘Limelight’ do         not become red in color in the autumn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HP220902’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a side perspective view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HP220902’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the summer in 27-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lengerich, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial panicle Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were 18 months old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘HP220902’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             paniculata identified as code number 11-0001, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             paniculata identified as code number 11-0007, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; typically whitish brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright to             somewhat outwardly spreading and rounded to conical plant             habit; strong and sturdy stems; moderately vigorous growth             habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm to 60 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 60 cm to 70 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             twelve lateral branches develop per plant.         -   Length, stem axis to base of inflorescence.—About 30 cm to             35 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 cm to 5 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.         -   Color.—When developing: Close to 145B. Developed: Close to             200D. Lenticels: Close to 165C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose; pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B; venation,             close to 144A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 145A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             to 3 mm. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close             to 144A tinged with close to 181C. Color, lower surface:             Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Showy sterile flowers and small             fertile flowers arranged on terminal panicles; panicles             conical to pyramidal in shape; flowers face upright to             outwardly depending on their position in the inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 17             weeks after planting; flowering begins in the early summer             and is continuous throughout the summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Fertile flowers last about one month on             the plant, fertile flowers not persistent; sterile flowers             last about three months on the plant, sterile flowers             persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 150 to             250 fertile flowers develop per panicle and about 250 to 400             sterile flowers develop per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 15 cm to 20 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 15 cm to 20 cm.         -   Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Fertile flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Fertile flower depth (height).—About 3 mm.         -   Sterile flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Sterile flower depth (height).—About 3 mm.         -   Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About             four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145D.         -   Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About             four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base:             Cuneate to obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 145B. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 145C.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About             four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 1 mm to 2 mm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 145C. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 145D.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About             four or five in a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm to             1.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Elliptic to oval. Apex:             Acute to obtuse. Base: Cuneate to attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145B.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 145C;             in the autumn, color becoming closer to 61B to 61C.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 80°             to 90° from branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 145D.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About nine to ten. Filament length: About 3 mm.             Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther shape: Round. Anther color: Close to 145D. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 145D. Pistils: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 0.5 mm to             1 mm. Stigma shape: Two to three-lobed. Stigma color: Close             to 145C. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to             144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About nine to ten. Filament length: About 3 mm.             Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther shape: Round. Anther color: Close to 145D. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 145D. Pistils: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Two to three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 145D.             Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary             color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds, only produced by fertile flowers.—Quantity per             fertile flower: About 20 to 30. Length: Less than 0.5 mm.             Diameter: Less than 0.5 mm. Color: Close to 200C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Hydrangea     grown under commercial production conditions have not been observed     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to temperatures     ranging from about −38° C. to about 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘HP220902’ as illustrated and described. 